Control linkage for biswinging door



May 12, 1970 F.J. KALOG ET AL 3,510,984

CONTROL LINKAGE FOR BISWINGING DOOR Filed Jan. 17, 1969 F IG. Z0401/434: A G Zfi 'l' hi l; 4 52 I l Q 14 i I 36 7 I 50, "OPEN IN LL-J af 32 58 {/2 M INVENTORS FRANCIS J. KALOG FRANK T. SIGHINOLFI ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent CONTROL LINKAGE FOR BISWINGIN G DOOR Francis J.Kalog, New Britain, and Frank T. Sighinolfi,

Forestville, Conn., assignors to The Stanley Works,

New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Jan. 17, 1969,Ser. No. 792,017 Int. Cl. E05f /12 US. Cl. 49-326 9 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A freely reversible linkage for an operator mechanismoffset from the pivot of a biswinging door continuously connects thedoor to the drive spindle of the operator. The linkage includes a crankgenerally parallel to the door "when closed and having one end fixed tothe spindle for rotation therewith. The crank is rotatably connected atits other end with a follower which is movably connected with a track onthe door and is generally perpendicular to the door when closed. Acontrol link, generally parallel to the door when closed, is rotatablyattached at one end between the follower ends and at its other end to apivot fixed offset from the spindle, to guide the follower along thetrack and control the movement of the linkage as the door is movedthrough 180 of swing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to swinging doorsand the like and is more particularly directed to control linkage whichfacilitates the use of powdered biswinging doors during both routine andemergency conditions.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide control linkagefor use with a door of the type described which at all times maintainsthe door free for full opening swinging movement in both directions fromits closed position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a powered swinging doorincorporating means accommodating reverse opening of the door withoutdisconnection from the operator, thereby eliminating all emergencyrelease linkage and obviating the need for resetting the mechanism afterreverse opening of the door.

Another object of this invention is to provide an automated swingingdoor with control linkage of the type described which is readily adaptedto a variety of doors.

Another object of this invention is to rovide an automated pivoted doorwith durable, lightweight and inexpensively fabricated control linkageof the type described which is compact, unobtrusive, and reliable inoperation.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will beexemplified in the construction hereafter set forth, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE .DRAWING In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a schematic top view illustrating an embodiment of theinvention fitted to an operator and a door and showing the door closedposition in solid lines and open positions in broken lines; and

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary schematic view, partly in section, taken alongline 2-2 of FIG. 1.

3,510,984 Patented May 12, 1970 "ice DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREDEMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in greater detail wherein likereference numerals indicate like parts, a door or similar panel 10 ismounted by a pivot 12 within a door frame 14. A drive spindle 16 of asuitable door operator 18 which is normally mounted to the door frameabove the doorway inside the building, is offset from the pivot 12 andis connected to drive the door through its normal opening and closingmovement through control linkage 20. As shown, the control linkage 20includes a generally L-shaped crank 22 having a relatively short steppedarm 24 and a long arm 26 fixed thereto with the free end of the shortarm being fixed to the drive spindle 16. The control linkage 20 alsoincludes a generally L-shaped control link 28 having a relatively shortstepped arm 30 pivotally attached at one end to a fixed pivot 32 on theoperator 18 with the pivot 32 being positioned intermediate the spindle16 and the door pivot 12. The control link 28 further includes a longarm 34 fixed to the other end of the short arm 30.

A follower link 36 has one end 40 pivotally connected to the free end ofthe crank arm 26. The arm 34 of the control link 28 is rotatablyconnected with the follower link 36 intermediate the ends thereof sothat the arms 26 and 34 are held in approximately parallel relationshipand the follower link 36 is approximately at a right angle with the door10 when the door is closed. The free end of the follower link 36 isattached to the door by a drive pin 42 which may include a suitableroller 44 positioned to reciprocate in a track 46 mounted at the top ofthe door 10. Adjustable stops 48 at the ends of the track 46 areprovided to limit the effective length of the track and the openingmovement of the door in both directions. As shown in FIG. 1, the freeend of the follower link 36 is provided with a plurality of aperturedknockoff segments 38 to vary the length thereof to accommodate thedifferent dimensions of reveals in dififerent door installations. Thetrack 46 may also be cut to different lengths to accommodate suchdifferent dimensions of reveals.

In operation, as the door is moved in a clockwise direction (as viewedin FIG. 1) from its closed to its normal full open position, thefollower link 36 and the crank 22 fold toward each other about thefollower link end 40. Simultaneously, the roller 44- normally moves inthe track 46 toward the door pivot 12, thereby facilitating collapse ofthe follower link 36 relatively to the door 10, so that with the door innormal full open position the control linkage compactly fits within theconfined space available between the door and the adjacent Wall.

The control link 28 maintains positive and smooth mechanical control ofthe linkage 20* during powered phases of operation, and preventsdead-centering of the crank arm- 26 and the follower link 36- whichwould preclude manual operation of the door. As can be most readily seenin FIG. 2, a step 50 of the control link short arm 30 and a step 52 ofthe crank short arm 24 reduce headspace need and facilitate mutuallyrelative movement of the linkage members as the door is moved from itsclosed position.

In addition to the foregoing features, the linkage 20 is designed to soshift during emergency or reverse opening of the door, whether byoperator or manual function, that when the door is in emergency orreverse full open position the linkage will remain interconnected,eliminating need for any resettable emergency release arm, andexpediting subsequent smooth and efficient closing of the door withoutrequiring even partial reassembly. As the door is openedcounterclockwise, or in the reverse direction, the control link 28pivots counterclockwise, about the pivot 32, and pushes the followerlink 36 clockwise about its end 40, thereby moving its free endsupporting the pin 42 away from the door pivot 12, whereby the door isopened to its reverse full open position. The control link also preventsthe follower link from moving to or beyond a dead center positionrelative to crank 22.

As the door is subsequently moved clockwise toward closed position, thecontrol link rotates clockwise about the pivot 32 and prevents thefollower link from further collapsing outwardly or away from the doorpivot 12 which condition might result in a dead-centering of thefollower link with respect to the crank long arm 26, precluding manualclosing of the door. The control link in fact draws the follower link 36toward the door pivot 12 during closing of the door from the reverseopen position, thereby ensuring prompt closing of the door.

It will be understood that the various angular relations specified aboveare exemplary and not critical.

The door operator linkage of the invention thus provides for fully 180movement of a door to which it is attached, utilizes no breakawaylinkage, and therefore requires no resetting or attention after reverseopening of the door to which it is attached. The linkage affordspositive and smooth mechanical control of the door during powered phasesof door operation, and precludes dead centering of the linkage thatcould prevent further operation of the door. The linkage can beretrofitted to appropriately modified doors of various sizes, and isaccommodated in limited headspace and wall-to-door gaps.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modificationsand adaptations of the structure abovedescribed will become readilyapparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a biswinging door having an operator with a drive spindle offsetfrom the pivot axis of the door, a freely reversible drive linkageconnecting the spindle to the door continuously throughout the swingingmovement thereof comprising a crank having one end fixed to the drivespindle for rotation therewith and the other end rotatably connected toa follower link, and a control link having one end pivotally connectedto a fixed pivot oifset from the drive spindle and the other endpivotally connected to the follower link at a position spaced from theconnection therewith of the crank, the door having a track mountedthereon and said follower link including a drive pin engageable withsaid track for reciprocating movement therealong.

2. The drive linkage as set forth in claim 1 wherein the control link tofollower link connection is intermediate the ends of the follower link.

3. The drive linkage as set forth in claim -1 wherein the control link,the crank, and the door are mutually relatively generally parallel whenthe door is closed.

4. The drive linkage as set forth in claim 1 wherein the follower linkis generally perpendicular to the door when the door is closed.

5. The drive linkage as set forth in claim 1 wherein the crank and thecontrol link include stepped portions for positioning them below the topof the door header.

6. The drive linkage as set forth in claim 1 wherein the control linkincludes a stepped portion for passing said link beneath the drivespindle during opening of the door in the direction of the operatorrelative to the door.

7. The drive linkage as set forth in claim 1 wherein the track is mounedin a cavity in the top of the door and is provided with adjustable stopsat the ends thereof for limiting movement of the door in both directionsof swing.

8. The drive linkage as set forth in claim 1 including aperturedknock-off segments on the follower link for accommodating its length todoor installations having different reveals.

9. The drive linkage as set forth in claim 1 wherein the track isreducible in length to accommodate various reveal dimensions therebyenhancing effectiveness of the stops to limit bidirectional openingmovements of the door.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 823,195 6/1906 Sperry 49-346 X2,569,565 10/1951 Hiser 49346 2,725,099 11/19-55 Frie et a1. 49345 X3,332,169 7/1967 Lohr et al 49340 X 3,344,555 10/1967 Hugle 49340FOREIGN PATENTS 354,692 6/ 1961 Switzerland.

DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 49346

